The full moon bathed the towering silhouette of Hotel Transylvania in an eerie silver glow. The gothic spires loomed against the midnight sky, their shadows stretching across the mist-covered mountains. Inside the grand castle, the halls buzzed with excitement—monsters of all shapes and sizes gathered to celebrate the night’s big event.

But Mavric Dracula wasn’t among them.

Instead, the young vampire stood alone on the grand balcony, his piercing blue eyes fixed on the endless stretch of darkened forests and valleys beyond the castle walls. His black cloak billowed in the cool night breeze as he leaned against the stone railing, longing for a world he had never seen.

Tonight was his 118th birthday—a milestone that should have marked his first step into independence. Instead, he was still trapped inside these ancient walls, just like always.

He sighed, raking a hand through his unruly raven hair. "One hundred and eighteen years, and I’ve never set foot outside. Some life…"

A sudden gust of wind made his pointed ears twitch. He turned just in time to see a swirl of black mist materializing behind him, shaping into a familiar figure.

Dracula.

His father hovered in the air, arms crossed, and one eyebrow arched. "Hmm. Funny thing… I could’ve sworn I heard my son planning a little escapade." His voice dripped with amusement, but the sharpness in his crimson gaze told a different story.

Mavric straightened. "Escape? Who, me? Nooo. I was just… admiring the view," he said, flashing an innocent smile. "The inside view. I'm totally not thinking about sneaking off into the human world or anything."

Dracula smirked. "Nice try, bâtă," he said, using the old Romanian word for ‘bat,’ a nickname Mavric had heard since childhood. "But we’ve talked about this. The world out there isn’t safe. Humans—"

"Are not as bad as you think!" Mavric interrupted, his frustration bubbling over. "Dad, I have to see it for myself! You say humans are dangerous, but how do you know? You never let me go near them!"